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| Wurfbainia yingyongii Kaewsri, in Kaewsri & Sangvirotjanapat, 2022. |
ABSTRACT
Six new species are described from Thailand: Wurfbainia ellipticarpa, W. geostachyoides, W. globosa, W. longiflora, W. parviflora and W. yingyongii. A line drawing and photographs, information on phenology, distribution, ecology and etymology, and a proposed IUCN conservation category are provided for each species. A key to the species of Wurfbainia in Thailand is also provided.
Keywords: Amomum, Cardamom, Ginger, Flora, Taxonomy
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| Wurfbainia ellipticarpa Kaewsri, sp. nov. A, Ligule; B, leaves; C, inflorescence; D, mature infructescence; E, young infructescence. All photographs of the type collection (Kaewsri 024), taken by W. Kaewsri. |
Wurfbainia ellipticarpa Kaewsri, sp. nov.
Similar to Wurfbainia villosa (Lour.) Škorničk. & A.D.Poulsen but differs in its narrower labellum (c.1 cm vs c.1.5 cm), inflorescence lax (vs congested) and fruit ellipsoid (vs globose to ovoid).
Habitat. Thrives in dry evergreen forest in light gaps at 800 m altitude.
Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the ellipsoid fruit.
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| Wurfbainia geostachyoides Kaewsri, sp. nov. A, Habit; B, stilt roots and inflorescences; C, ligule; D, leaves; E, flower; F, flowers; G, young fruits; H, ripe fruits. All photographs of the type collection (Kaewsri 223), taken by W. Kaewsri. |
Wurfbainia geostachyoides Kaewsri, sp. nov.
Similar to Wurfbainia microcarpa (C.F.Liang & D.Fang) Škorničk. & A.D.Poulsen but differs in its shorter ligule (c.2 mm vs 7–10 mm), abaxial blade surface glabrous (vs tomentose) and lateral staminode apex truncate (vs rounded and hooded).
Habitat. Dry evergreen and tropical rain forest under shrubs or trees or on hill slopes at 260–950m altitude.
Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the distinctly woody rhizome raised above ground with stilt roots, which recalls the genus Geostachys (Baker) Ridl.
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| Wurfbainia globosa Kaewsri, sp. nov. A, Leaves; B, inflorescence and infructescence; C, flower; D, bract; E, bracteole; F, calyx; G, corolla (dissected); H, labellum; I, stamen; J, stigma; K, fruit. Drawn from Kaewsri 027 by W. Kaewsri. |
Wurfbainia globosa Kaewsri, sp. nov.
Similar to Wurfbainia villosa (Lour.) Škorničk. & A.D.Poulsen but differs in its ligule apex bilobed (vs round or emarginate), calyx apex bilobed (vs trilobed) and labellum apex bilobed (vs shallowly trilobed).
Habitat. Dry evergreen forest under shrubs or trees at 215m altitude.
Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the globose fruit.
Wurfbainia longiflora Kaewsri, sp. nov.
Similar to Wurfbainia uliginosa (J.Koenig) Škorničk. & A.D.Poulsen but differs in its shorter leafy shoot (0.6–1.7 m vs 2.4–4.1 m), inflorescence size (3 × 1.2 cm vs 3–5 × 2–3 cm), longer floral tube (3.7–4.2 cm long including ovary vs c.2.5 cm long including ovary) and young fruit white (vs green).
Habitat. Tropical rain and evergreen forest under shrubs and trees at 215 m altitude.
Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the distinct long floral tube.
Wurfbainia parviflora Kaewsri, sp. nov.
Similar to Wurfbainia micrantha (Ridl.) Škorničk. & A.D.Poulsen but differs in its blade size (11–21 × 2–4 cm vs 15–30 × 0.6–2 cm), blade pubescent on both sides (vs glabrous on both sides) and calyx tube apex bilobed (vs trilobed).
Habitat. Dry evergreen forest in light gaps at c.800 m altitude.
Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the small flower.
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| Wurfbainia yingyongii Kaewsri, sp. nov. A, Young leafy shoot; B, pseudostem base; C, ligule; D, leaves; E, inflorescence; F, infructescence; G, fruit (cross-section). All photographs of the type collection (Kaewsri 001), taken by W. Kaewsri. |
Wurfbainia yingyongii Kaewsri, sp. nov.
Similar to Wurfbainia biflora (Jack) Škorničk. & M.F.Newman but differs in its labellum ovate (vs obovate) and orange middle band on labellum (vs mid-red to dark red band).
Habitat. Dry evergreen forest, under shade of shrubs and trees, c.400 m altitude.
Etymology. The specific epithet honours Associate Professor Dr Yingyong Paisooksantivatana, who dedicated his life to the study of Amomum sensu lato in Thailand.
W. Kaewsri and S. Sangvirotjanapat. 2022. Six New Species of Wurfbainia (Zingiberaceae) from Thailand. EDINBURGH JOURNAL OF BOTANY. 79; Article 369 (1–23). DOI: 10.24823/EJB.2022.369
